This invention relates generally to automated liquid combination and transport systems and more particularly to apparatus for use in combining liquid additives with a primary liquid as part of such a system.
Automated liquid combination and transport systems are particularly advantageous in applications involving large scale or continuous combining of liquids. Precise control and accurate repetition of the mixing proportions can be achieved with such a system. Further, the system can continuously monitor the product liquid mixture and automatically readjust the proportions of the various liquids injected into the product mixture. An injector of the general type described for injecting liquids is disclosed in co-assigned, co-pending application Ser. No. 07/266,885 filed Nov. 3, 1988. A system of the type generally described for controlled feeding of plants is disclosed in co-assigned co-pending application Ser. No. 07/302,765 filed Jan. 25, 1989. Application Ser. Nos. 07/266,885 and 07/302,765, relating to injectors and systems of the type to which the present invention is particularly applicable, are hereby incorporated by reference in the present application.
Liquid combination and transport systems of the type generally described include injectors which inject a liquid additive into a primary liquid carried by a conduit, which is part of the combining apparatus, through ports in the conduit. The injectors require monitoring and calibration to ensure that the desired mixing proportions are maintained. Heretofore, the injectors and the conduit have been held on the combining apparatus in such a way that the injectors and the ports in the conduit must be accessed from different sides of the apparatus. Therefore, the apparatus cannot be placed against a wall and requires considerable space so that access to the injector and parts may be had from all sides of the apparatus. Further, present combining apparatus hold the injectors in fixed positions such that configuration for special applications is not possible without detaching the injector from the apparatus.